Brothers in Sumo –
part two
Brian Lewin
Brothers still active on the dohyo get their turn

Yokozuna Comparisons
Joe Kuroda
SFM’s most eminent historian, JK, has a crack at the impossible and tries to see who was the greatest of the tsuna wearers

Rikishi of Old
John Gunning
Takanobori – former sekiwake, former NHK man and all ’round gent

Heya Peek
Barbara Ann Klein
Kitanoumi-beya, Kitazakura, mirrors & photo bonanza

SFM Interview
John Gunning
Kazuyoshi Yoshikawa (son of the late sekiwake Takanobori) on life in sumo way back when

Sumo 101
Barbara Ann Klein
Behind every good man there stands a good woman – read and ye shall see. A departure from our regular 101 feature

Photo Bonanza
See the Hatsu Basho
plus much more through the lens of our photographers

Hatsu Basho Review
Lon Howard
Lon gives us his Hatsu Basho summary, along with the henka sightings results

Lower Division Rikishi
Mikko Mattila
Mikko Mattila covers lower division goings on in detail

Haru Basho Forecast
Pierre Wohlleben & Mark Buckton
Pierre predicts the Haru Basho banzuke while Mark highlights the ones to look out for in Osaka

Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko takes us on a tour of his chosen kimarite

Minusha
John McTague
John’s unique bimonthly view of sumo news from outside the dohyo and in the restaurants!

Online Gaming
Alexander Nitschke
SFM’s own Alexander Nitschke covers the long running Hoshitori Game

Kokugi Connections
Todd Lambert
Todd’s bimonthly focus on 3 of the most interesting sumo sites today

Fan Debate
Feb's debate sees
a pair of Kiwis exchanging opinions on the honbasho going on the road

SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In the third of our cartoon bonanzas, sit back and enjoy BL’s offerings and put a caption to ST’s pic to win yourselves a banzuke

Let’s Hear From You
What was it that
made you a sumo fan? A unique perspective from a sightless reader.

Readers’ Letters
See what some SFM
readers had to say since our last issue

Sumo Quiz
The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

  Matthew McConaughey is actually a sumo champion, so to speak. While trekking through Africa in 2000, after wrapping up a dinosaur documentary, MM visited a small village and began teaching the local children the sport of boxing. The local wrestling champion, Michel, then challenged the actor to a sumo bout, not knowing a celebrity was amidst. They battled. “The (village) chief steps in, grabs both our hands and raises them. The crowd of about 80 screamed and cheered loudly... and I got pounds and pats on the back.”, said McConaughey. “(I learned) Michel is not only champion of this village, but he’s champion of this village and four villages back.” McConaughey has since returned to the village, the name of which he’s keeping a secret, once during the filming of “Sahara”. Whenever he returns, the villagers treat him as a local hero, unaware of his film career. Let’s hope they don’t get a copy of “The Wedding Planner”.

Also, Hollywood couple Billy Zane and Kelly Brook spent a lovely Christmas together in her native England. While you might imagine the romantic implications of a hotel room with your partner during the holidays, it turned out this love match was forged in Sumo. The
couple rented inflatable sumo suits and grappled the night away. No word on who won, but I’ll wager it was a draw.

Other Minusha

– Variety reports that “Napoleon Dynamite” star Jon Heder will star in an untitled comedy about a skinny American who participates in a sumo wrestling competition. The film will be penned by Steve Faber and Bob Fisher (“The Wedding Crashers”) and will be based loosely on a true story.


Author Joshua Davis – Jon Heder look alike? (Photo by Barbara Ann Klein)
 
 The story is based on Joshua Davis’ GQ report, “Supersize Me: The Hard-Won Wisdom of a 134-Pound Sumo Warrior”, about becoming the lightest man ever to compete at the U.S.
Sumo Open two years ago. Davis included that episode along with excursions into bullfighting, arm wrestling, backward running and sauna in the book.

– Did you know that in “The Simpson’s” episode, “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish”, Homer got a serving of bad fugu (pufferfish) and was given 24 hours to live? Did you also know that the restaurant was called “The Happy Sumo”, featuring a neon sign with two sumotori bashing bellies? Look for it.

– University of North Carolina students gather in a place called “The Pit” and sumo wrestle. It’s a tournament much like the one the NCAA holds every March. Match winners move to the next bracket and so on. The winner procures tickets to see their basketball team take on rival Duke.

Random Site Found While Searching For Sumo:

http://www.sumosearch.com/
search.asp

That’s all for now. I’m dreaming of a white tsuna for a Japanese ozeki.

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