Oh, The Joy of it All
Strangely enough, because I had to leave Chicago for Japan last Thursday, I ended up missing the last three days of the September sumo tournament in Tokyo. I’ve just now managed to watch the final day’s matches on tape, including yokozuna Asashoryu’s brilliant win in a play-off match with fellow yokozuna Hakuho on Sunday after they both finished 14-1. I like Asashoryu a great deal, and now that he’s pulled off another one of his miracle championships in a tournament that began with speculation on his imminent demise, I like him even more.
What makes it all especially fun is that Asashoryu’s unexpected success nearly caused Yokozuna Deliberation Council member Uchidate Makiko’s head to explode. The television scriptwriter has been mercilessly on the Mongolian yokozuna’s case for years, basically because he isn’t Japanese. When Asashoryu showed a “guts” pose (two fists raised in the air in celebration) after clinching the title, Uchidate nearly had an apoplectic fit. MSN Sankei quotes her reaction as follows:
「心が充実せず、技も磨かれず、けいこ不足で体がぷよぷよ。優勝はまぐれだ。心技体を鍛えて出直していらっしゃい」
A rough translation: “He has no spiritual fiber, he has no technique, and his body is all flabby because he doesn’t practice enough. His victory was a fluke. He needs to go back and start over, steeling his heart, technique, and body.” Sure thing, Ms. Uchidate, except for one small detail: he basically wiped up the floor with all of your beloved, spiritually cultivated wrestlers. Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!
Komusubi Baruto (12-3) and maegashira 3 Kakuryu (11-4) also impressed. Their titanic match on Day 14 (Kakuryu won on a nifty sotogake outside leg trip) left me with the warm feeling that sumo will be in good hands for years to come. Whatever Ms. Uchidate thinks.
