Comments on: In an uncertain world, the simple pleasures of sumo http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/07/19/in-an-uncertain-world-the-simple-pleasures-of-sumo/ EthanZ's musings on Africa, media and international development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sanjay Parekh http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/07/19/in-an-uncertain-world-the-simple-pleasures-of-sumo/comment-page-1/#comment-46632 Sanjay Parekh Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:51:56 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=896#comment-46632 Yeah I guess the clips are better than nothing but there is nothing like watching full complete bouts. Plus the English commentary in Japan is pretty good. But then my thoughts on that might be related to my being in Tokyo for three months and not really having any to talk to (native English speaking that is). Yeah I guess the clips are better than nothing but there is nothing like watching full complete bouts. Plus the English commentary in Japan is pretty good. But then my thoughts on that might be related to my being in Tokyo for three months and not really having any to talk to (native English speaking that is).

]]> By: Jon http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/07/19/in-an-uncertain-world-the-simple-pleasures-of-sumo/comment-page-1/#comment-46496 Jon Wed, 26 Jul 2006 15:16:12 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=896#comment-46496 I'll include my "bravo" here, too. I am also an Ama fan (he's not Mainoumi, but he's fun to watch) and a long-suffering U.S. sumo addict. Apparently the Dish Network carries a "Japan TV" channel that includes some sumo coverage, but I don't do the dish thing, and there doesn't appear to be anything else available. The banzuke.com video collection is indeed amazing. I hope the site owner gets well soon (both because I appreciate his great site and because I get withdrawal symptoms when I can't get videos for the ongoing tournaments). Goo sumo used to have a few highlighted matches available after each tournament, but I haven't found them yet for the recent basho. I’ll include my “bravo” here, too. I am also an Ama fan (he’s not Mainoumi, but he’s fun to watch) and a long-suffering U.S. sumo addict. Apparently the Dish Network carries a “Japan TV” channel that includes some sumo coverage, but I don’t do the dish thing, and there doesn’t appear to be anything else available. The banzuke.com video collection is indeed amazing. I hope the site owner gets well soon (both because I appreciate his great site and because I get withdrawal symptoms when I can’t get videos for the ongoing tournaments). Goo sumo used to have a few highlighted matches available after each tournament, but I haven’t found them yet for the recent basho.

]]> By: Ethan http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/07/19/in-an-uncertain-world-the-simple-pleasures-of-sumo/comment-page-1/#comment-42103 Ethan Wed, 19 Jul 2006 21:18:16 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=896#comment-42103 Bless you, Sanjay - I always wonder whether I'm losing everyone when I talk sumo, and then I bump into a reader who's happy to hear about big men fighting. The best source for sumo video I know of is the remarkable Banzuke.com, which seems to have most matches from the past six years, available in Windows Media Viewer format, commented in English. The videos are at http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/. The site's administrator is a few days behind on the current tournament, ill with the flu, but there's enough back footage to keep you busy for weeks. Let me start you with a match from the first day of last November's Kyushu basho, showing just why I love Ama so much: http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/kyushu2005/day1/2005_11_01_kokkai_ama.wmv Bless you, Sanjay – I always wonder whether I’m losing everyone when I talk sumo, and then I bump into a reader who’s happy to hear about big men fighting.

The best source for sumo video I know of is the remarkable Banzuke.com, which seems to have most matches from the past six years, available in Windows Media Viewer format, commented in English. The videos are at http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/. The site’s administrator is a few days behind on the current tournament, ill with the flu, but there’s enough back footage to keep you busy for weeks. Let me start you with a match from the first day of last November’s Kyushu basho, showing just why I love Ama so much:
http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/kyushu2005/day1/2005_11_01_kokkai_ama.wmv

]]> By: Sanjay Parekh http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/07/19/in-an-uncertain-world-the-simple-pleasures-of-sumo/comment-page-1/#comment-42099 Sanjay Parekh Wed, 19 Jul 2006 20:59:01 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=896#comment-42099 I might be the only one telling you this but thanks for the update Ethan! I became a fan of sumo back in 1996 when I spent 3 months in Tokyo. Of course, back then we had Akebono and Musashimaru to cheer on. Given the absolute lack of video access to bouts in the U.S., I've given up trying to follow it. If you've got pointers to videos of current bouts, I'd love to hear about it. I might be the only one telling you this but thanks for the update Ethan! I became a fan of sumo back in 1996 when I spent 3 months in Tokyo. Of course, back then we had Akebono and Musashimaru to cheer on. Given the absolute lack of video access to bouts in the U.S., I’ve given up trying to follow it. If you’ve got pointers to videos of current bouts, I’d love to hear about it.

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