Takakeisho is Minatogawa-oyakata now

[MrGrumpyGills 123]

23 minutes ago, yorikiried by fate said:

A few people loved it, though.

I can imagine, though they probably were drowned out by the others

[yorikiried by fate 2,010]

15 hours ago, MrGrumpyGills said:

I can imagine, though they probably were drowned out by the others

We are used to that. It's called avant-garde.

[Yokozuna Hattorizakura 151]

Sad he's retiring so early. he was my favourite rikishi, fuck the haters. No fancy nonsense, just pure masterful oshi-zumo. When the other Ozeki would come and go, he was a constant presence at the top. He would've made it to Yokozuna if he was just a little bit healthier.

[Akinomaki 40,207]

Takakeisho career impressions from the NSK

 

[Akinomaki 40,207]

And the remaining Takakeisho career pics

Shinjo shusse hirou with a kesho mawashi of Takanohana, Aki 1014

o

makuuchi promotion for Hatsu 2017

o

first yusho Kyushu 2018

oooo o

Haru 2019

loss to Ichinojo on day 14

o

day 15 against Tochinoshin for the necessary 10th win

oo o

with parents later that day

o

ozeki promotion a few days later

ooo

new ozeki on the banzuke for Natsu

o

2nd yusho Kyushu 2020

o

3rd yusho Hatsu 2023

o

4th yusho Aki 2023

o

2024

Hatsu

o 

Haru

o

Nagoya - ozeki demotion sealed after a loss to Terunofuji on day 13

o

Aki - his last bout on day 2 - loss to Oho

o ooo

[yohcun 401]

I admired him more than I was a fan of his actual sumo, which seems to be a common feeling here.

Just look at his sumo upbringing. An oni dad -> Saitama Sakae -> Takanohana-beya. That's how a 170-something tall guy with slightly stumpy arms makes Ozeki at 22.

[I am the Yokozuna 188]

In his retirement press conference Takakeisho stated that he joined the sumo to become a yokozuna and once he realized that he cannot achieve that dream due to lack of physical strength and necessary results to progress to the rank he decided to retire. Of course all dream to become yokozunas, regardless of how realistic that could be, but most enjoy the sumo way and continue doing keiko and keep on fighting during the tournaments until it is physically possible to them or a heya kabu opens up for them. I have never heard the reason - I could no longer become yokozuna as a retirement reason. He did not mention his health as a reason for retirement au contraire he said he did not feel the injuries being painful, the oyakata talked about this but even he did not say he retired because of injuries. In my mind that is kind of entitlement, which when put on top of his refusal to bow for me is smugness. 

That does not make him a bad rikishi, he had an amazing career. 

Overachiever as I would always point out in life it is always about timing. He finished with more championships than Kisenasato, Tochiazuma, Chiyotaikai, Baruto and Kotoshu, all of whom I consider superior fighters than him but in more competitive times to clinch more championships for themselves. 

Does he care about my opinion? Nope. Am I fine with that? Hell, yes. 

Anyhow, once again I wish him success in his career as an oyakata. 

 

[yorikiried by fate 2,010]

When it started:

 

Edited November 26, 2024 by yorikiried by fate
Picture missing

[RabidJohn 1,733]

1 hour ago, I am the Yokozuna said:

In his retirement press conference Takakeisho stated that he joined the sumo to become a yokozuna and once he realized that he cannot achieve that dream due to lack of physical strength and necessary results to progress to the rank he decided to retire. ...  I have never heard the reason - I could no longer become yokozuna as a retirement reason. 

This is consistent with everything he's said throughout his career.
When he got promoted to ozeki, he said that he wasn't satisfied because it wasn't the highest rank.
Every time he failed a tsuna run he said it was because he wasn't strong enough.

That he's knackered goes without saying; we've all seen it happen.

That his body wasn't strong enough to meet the demands his fighting spirit made on it is true.

I can also buy that his total self-belief was in denial of what the rest of us could see for some time.

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,262]

He was 100% all-in true believer of his manifest destiny to become yokozuna of maximum hinkaku.

And he almost made it too, with an unlikely body arch-type.

But it also caused him to ignore everything his body was telling him - to bring it down a notch - to rest.

I feel like him and Tamawashi have similar sumo capability but their overall meta-strategy are polar opposites.

[Dapeng 233]

6 hours ago, I am the Yokozuna said:

In his retirement press conference Takakeisho stated that he joined the sumo to become a yokozuna and once he realized that he cannot achieve that dream due to lack of physical strength and necessary results to progress to the rank he decided to retire. Of course all dream to become yokozunas, regardless of how realistic that could be, but most enjoy the sumo way and continue doing keiko and keep on fighting during the tournaments until it is physically possible to them or a heya kabu opens up for them. I have never heard the reason - I could no longer become yokozuna as a retirement reason. He did not mention his health as a reason for retirement au contraire he said he did not feel the injuries being painful, the oyakata talked about this but even he did not say he retired because of injuries. In my mind that is kind of entitlement, which when put on top of his refusal to bow for me is smugness. 

That does not make him a bad rikishi, he had an amazing career. 

Overachiever as I would always point out in life it is always about timing. He finished with more championships than Kisenasato, Tochiazuma, Chiyotaikai, Baruto and Kotoshu, all of whom I consider superior fighters than him but in more competitive times to clinch more championships for themselves. 

Does he care about my opinion? Nope. Am I fine with that? Hell, yes. 

Anyhow, once again I wish him success in his career as an oyakata. 

 

His overall records are worse than Kisenosato although he has two more yushos. Kise has 1 14-wins and 7 13-wins while fighting the GOAT and two yokozunas. Taka only has only two 13-wins. A good ozeki for sure.

[Katsunorifuji 65]

I got back in to watching sumo in 2018 right as he was taking off and looking almost unstoppable. I remember thinking the era of Hakuho dominance would end only to be replaced by the reign of Takakeishio. Sad to see him retire but hope the future works out well for him. 

[Obana 315]

A couple of Daimon's ukiyo-e postcards.

[Morning 75]

Those look quite good

[Akinomaki 40,207]

NikkanSp Premium today with the Minatogawa-story - also everyday in the basho pics

o o o o o o o o

while active

o o o o o

[Octofuji 350]

He looks so young in his fatigues!

[hakutorizakura 609]

On 15/11/2024 at 22:40, Octofuji said:

He looks so young in his fatigues!

All retired rikishis lose at least 5 years in appearance and 20 years in life's burden 

[Koorifuu 924]

On 15/11/2024 at 05:42, Akinomaki said:

 

 o

"Psst... Swap out for me today, nobody's gonna tell the difference."

[Gurowake 4,031]

Whenever I see this thread bumped, the title still somewhat startles me as if it's something new.  It takes a second for me to realize it's from quite a while ago now.

[dingo 1,222]

Same for me. Also, it was quite jarring to see Aoiyama suddenly be the door opener when Kotozakura got into the car for his yusho parade. 

[Naganoyama 5,881]

I get a pang when a thread about someone dying is bumped. I know they have died but it feels like they have died again.

[RabidJohn 1,733]

Hmm, maybe it's time for a 'Minatogawa (Takakeisho) activities' thread then.

[Yamanashi 3,793]

On 25/11/2024 at 06:13, dingo said:

Same for me. Also, it was quite jarring to see Aoiyama suddenly be the door opener when Kotozakura got into the car for his yusho parade. 

The employment flow at the NSK is certainly entertaining.  Takakeisho goes from heroic/tragic sekitori to ... guy who keeps random people out of the hanamichi ("hey, kid, where do you think you're going?").  Ex-Hakuho and ex-Kakuryu are in a photo grinning at the list of Sansho winners, wearing their mid-level construction manager jackets.  At least in the case of guys like Aoiyama and Myogiryu, there was a slow slide through lower Makuuchi and a short drop through Juryo to prepare them for their fates.  Granted, they will have other more empowering duties.

OTOH, none of them had to choose between career choices like MMA or eldercare attendant.

[Akinomaki 40,207]

Minatogawa at the basho, with the others in the blue jackets, at the parade the 3 newbies

 

[Akinomaki 40,207]

Minatogawa is the first guest on Toyonoshima's new channel

there will be a 2nd part - in the 1st part his best 3 bouts, easy and hard opponents, most frustrating bout ...