Ryuko Seiho

Ryuko Seiho - 龍虎勢朋 (born January 9, 1941 - August 29, 2014) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ota, Tokyo. He made his debut in January 1957 and wrestled for Hanakago stable. He reached the makuuchi division in March 1968 and has six special prizes as well as two kinboshi. His highest rank was komusubi and he retired in May 1975.

Career[]

Early Career[]

After dropping out of Tokyo Metropolitan Omori High School, Suzuki joined Hanakago stable and made his professional debut in January 1957. He made his debut alongside future yokozuna Kitanofuji who recalled that out of the 52 debutants at the time that they were both the lightest and the weakest. Suzuki was often ridiculed by his stablemates for his skinny build.

He initially wrestled under the shikona "Suzukiyama" (鈴木山) which was derived from his surname. He changed his shikona to "Hanamusashi" (花武蔵) in January 1958 and to "Wakakamiyama" (若神山) in November 1959. He was promoted to sandanme in January 1960 and makushita in March 1961. He briefly reverted his shikona back to Hanamusashi in November 1964 before changing it to "Ryuko" (龍虎) in May 1966. In January 1967 he won the makushita yusho with a perfect 7-0 record at the rank of makushita 14 and was promoted to juryo in the following March 1967 tournament.

Juryo Career[]

In his first tournament as a sekitori, Ryuko finished with a strong 10-5 record. After a year in juryo, Ryuko won the juryo yusho with a strong 13-2 record in January 1968 and was promoted to makuuchi for the following March 1968 tournament.

Makuuchi Career[]

The eleven years it had taken Ryuko to reach the top division was the slowest progression at the time. Nevertheless, in his makuuchi debut, Ryuko scored a strong 11-4 record and was warded his first Fighting Spirit prize. A year later in March 1969, he produced a strong 12-3 record and was runner-up to Kotozakura's 13-2 record. In addition he was awarded both the Fighting Spirit and Outstanding Performance prizes.

G20140831008843710 view — Ryuko prepares for his upcoming match (c. 1970)

In the following May 1969 tournament he defeated Yokozuna Taiho to earn his first career kinboshi and since Taiho eventually won the yusho, Ryuko was awarded the Outstanding Performance prize for being one of the few wrestlers to defeat the yokozuna. In November 1969, Ryuko was runner-up for the second time after producing an 11-4 record and he was awarded his third Fighting Spirit prize. He followed with an 9-6 record in January 1970 and was promoted to komusubi in March 1970. He posted an 8-7 record in his san'yaku debut, but this was to be his only kachi-koshi (winning record) in the san'yaku ranks as he followed with a 5-10 record. In September 1970, he finished with a career-best 13-2 record and was runner-up to Tamanoumi's 14-1 yusho.

On the 5th day of the November 1971 tournament, Ryuko tore his Achilles tendon in a match against Yoshinohana. As a result of which he missed three successive tournaments and was demoted from makuuchi all the way down to the third makushita division. He returned to sumo, and after winning championships in the makushita and juryo divisions he regained his position in makuuchi in 1973. He scored his second kinboshi (against Kitanoumi) in 1974. He even managed a return to sanyaku at komusubi in January 1975, the first time that any wrestler had done this after dropping to makushita. However, on the first match of the May tournament in that year, he tore the other Achilles tendon, and retired from sumo. He once told an interviewer that he thought rikishi wrestled too much - "Ninety days a year, such a severe tension, it's too much for a human being."

Retirement from Sumo[]

Enn1409011141010-p1 — Ryuko after retirement

After his retirement he worked as a coach at his old stable under the toshiyori or elder name of Hanaregoma, but he left the Sumo Association in February 1977 to seek a new profession.

Acting Career[]

Ryuko played the station chief in the 1977 live-actor film version of Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Koen-mae Hashutsujo. He joined the cast of the jidaigeki Abarenbo Shogun during the first series (about 175 episodes), and continued through the second series (about 190 episodes). His character was a retired sumo wrestler named Ryuko. He also appeared as a guest star in an episode of the fifth series.

Death[]

He died on August 29, 2014 in Kakegawa, Shizuoka of a heart attack. He was 73 years old.

Personal Life[]

He married the eldest daughter of a noh performer in April 1992. His daughter was born in November 1992 and his son was born in August 1994.

It was as a direct result of public sympathy for Ryuko's plummet down the rankings that the Japan Sumo Association introduced the kosho seido, or public injury system, whereby a wrestler injured during a tournament could sit out the next one without any effect on his rank.

Fighting Style[]

Ryuko's favorite techniques were tsuppari (thrusting attack), katasukashi (under-shoulder swing down), migi-yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside mawashi grip), and sotogake (outer leg trip). He most commonly won by hatakikomi (slap down).