History Main / SumoWrestling

Believe it or not, sumo wrestlers were not always fat. Older sumo wrestlers, while large, were [[https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/the-skinny-sumo-wrestlers-of-Japan far leaner with more traditionally athletic builds.]] This began to change around the 80's, when heavier wrestlers became the norm due to their weight making them harder to throw and their fat and mass making them more resilient to impact. Even modern sumo wrestlers are less fat than they appear. Most sumo wrestlers only have around 15-20% body fat[[note]]While not impressive for most professional athletes, this is actually considered fit to average for men by the American Council on Exercise.[[/note]] and under that outer layer of blubber is [[HeroicBuild an astoundingly muscular physique.]] Many wrestlers that aren't particular tall tend to look like fairly ordinary and muscular people after retiring, while coaches (almost always former top division Rikishi or outright champions) [[BadassInANiceSuit tend to look both huge and dapper at once]].

The sport is OlderThanTheyThink, with the current ruleset having undergone very little adjustment since the Edo period. Unfortunately also in terms of health standards; Sumo's adherence to "warrior spirit", "dignity in defeat" etc, and [[GracefulLoser having to walk off your match and give a bow to your opponent]] has meant that several wrestlers have aggrevated their injuries being forced to comply to this tradition by officials, even in visible distress. Some have been permanently paralyzed or [[https://youtu.be/7lC1fXdaOMM outright died as recently as April 2021]] from a lack of paramedical responders present at the venue or them simply responding not fast enough. The bout before the emperor in 23BC between one Nomi no Sukune and one Taima no Kehaya is considered the UrExample of a "sumo" bout on record, though it was radically different from today's sumo (indeed, before the Sengoku period, "sumo" was instead known as ''kakuriki''); no holds were barred, all techniques save for biting were allowed and fights were occasionally fought to the death. Nomi no Sukune [[FinishingStomp supposedly crushed Kehaya's spine and killed him with a stomp]].

* ''VideoGame/PennysBigBreakaway'' Emperor Eddie's boss fights have him doing this, as he wears sumo attire, and tries to push Penny out of the ring.
* From ''VideoGame/{{Pushmo}}'' series, there's his protagonist Mallo, a little CartoonCreature akin to a sumo wrestler, who pulls and pushes on blocks to create platforms which he then climbs on to progress through the level.

* Fujiwara from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is shown to be a big fan of sumo on several occasions. [[spoiler:She even states in her final focus chapter that [[ChubbyChasera a sumo wrestler would be her ideal husband]], though it's unclear just how serious she was being at he time.]]

* Fujiwara from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' is shown to be a big fan of sumo on several occasions. [[spoiler:She even states in her final focus chapter that [[ChubbyChasera sumo wrestler would be her ideal husband]], though it's unclear just how serious she was being at he time.]]

Fictional sumo can be BigFun guys or {{Fat Bastard}}s, depending on their place on the moral spectrum, and tend to be {{Big Eater}}s. Almost always Japanese, much like real ones, although a few Brazilian, European, Slavic, Pacific Islander and later Mongolian wrestlers exist.[[note]]The top of the field as of this writing is often dominated by Mongolians, and has been for almost two decades now because Sumo scouts began attending Mongolian Bökh tournaments to find potential trainees, which [[GoneHorriblyRight resulting in an unprecedented era of Mongolian dominance under Asashoryu, Hakuho, Kakuryu and Teronofuji]]; That's right, of the last five Yokozuna, ''four'' have been Mongolians with a Bökh or Judo background. There are also a handful of Caucasian rikishi and they tend to be from Slavic countries where folk wrestling is still popular, with former Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu noteworthy as the first Caucasian rikishi to become an elder and open his own stable and Georgian rikishi Tochinoshin managing to compete in three different decades despite one of his knees getting compromised by a bad landing during a match in 2013, and still competing at the top in 2023. The huge Brazilian Rikishi Kaisei who retired in early 2023 managed to reach ozeki as well and stayed in the top divisions consistently for almost fifteen years.[[/note]] Tend to have their hair tied in topknots and rarely wear much other than a pair of shorts and sandals. Of course, real ones wear other garments when not competing or training.

* An advertisement for [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Fuso_Canter the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter truck]] showed off its size by having three sumo wrestlers cram into the cabin. After they get out the cabin tilts forward to show the engine underneath. The sumo wrestlers think it's bowing to them [[JapanesePoliteness and do likewise]].

* An advertisement for a truck showed off its size by having three sumo wrestlers cram into the cabin. After they get out the cabin tilts forward to show the engine underneath. The sumo wrestlers think it's bowing to them [[JapanesePoliteness and do likewise]].

The sport is OlderThanTheyThink, with the current ruleset having undergone very little adjustment since the Edo period. Unfortunately also in terms of health standards; Sumo's adherence to "warrior spirit", "dignity in defeat" etc, and [[GracefulLoser having to walk off your match and give a bow to your opponent]] has meant that several wrestlers have aggrevated their injuries being made to comply to this tradition by officials. Some have permanently paralyzed or [[https://youtu.be/7lC1fXdaOMM outright died as recently as April 2021]] from a lack of paramedical responders present at the venue or them simply responding not fast enough. and the bout before the emperor in 23BC between one Nomi no Sukune and one Taima no Kehaya is considered the UrExample of a "sumo" bout on record, though it was radically different from today's sumo (indeed, before the Sengoku period, "sumo" was instead known as ''kakuriki''); no holds were barred, all techniques save for biting were allowed and fights were occasionally fought to the death. Nomi no Sukune [[FinishingStomp supposedly crushed Kehaya's spine and killed him with a stomp]].

The sport is OlderThanTheyThink, with the current ruleset having undergone very little adjustment since the Edo period. Unfortunately also in terms of health standards; Sumo's adherence to "warrior spirit", "dignity in defeat" etc, and [[GracefulLoser having to walk off your match and give a bow to your opponent]] has meant that several wrestlers have aggrevated their injuries being made to comply to this tradition by officials. Some have permanently paralyzed or [[https://youtu.be/7lC1fXdaOMM outright died as recently as 2021]] from a lack of paramedical responders present at the venue or them simply responding not fast enough. and the bout before the emperor in 23BC between one Nomi no Sukune and one Taima no Kehaya is considered the UrExample of a "sumo" bout on record, though it was radically different from today's sumo (indeed, before the Sengoku period, "sumo" was instead known as ''kakuriki''); no holds were barred, all techniques save for biting were allowed and fights were occasionally fought to the death. Nomi no Sukune [[FinishingStomp supposedly crushed Kehaya's spine and killed him with a stomp]].

The sport is OlderThanTheyThink, with the current ruleset having undergone very little adjustment since the Edo period, and the bout before the emperor in 23BC between one Nomi no Sukune and one Taima no Kehaya is considered the UrExample of a "sumo" bout on record, though it was radically different from today's sumo (indeed, before the Sengoku period, "sumo" was instead known as ''kakuriki''); no holds were barred, all techniques save for biting were allowed and fights were occasionally fought to the death. Nomi no Sukune [[FinishingStomp supposedly crushed Kehaya's spine and killed him with a stomp]].

It's SeriousBusiness in Japan, where it could be described as the national pastime, and it is often interspersed with traditional UsefulNotes/{{Shinto}} rituals. Its rules are rather simple: you win by forcing your opponent out of the circular 4.55 diameter clay ring lined with tighty wrapped straw ropes or forcing him to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet. For this reason, matches usually only last a few seconds invested in big explosions of strength, leverage, agility and clever technique, making them short, dramatic and frequently spectacular, just what casual fans need to entertain themselves and keep watching. Also, although in the West it is often called a martial art and piled together with UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} and UsefulNotes/{{Karate}}, sumo wrestling could be much better described as a combat sport with religious undertones. While there are amateur associations in schools and colleges (as well as open circuits abroad), official sumo is a strictly professional competition which one dedicates his life to with several strict rules of conduct and a whole freemason-like dictionary of terms that started in Sumo[[note]]The Japanese term for the cowgirl position is known as Hyakuhei, the "Hundred Forms" that involve all Sumo training and finishing moves at the time the original term was coined. Basically, a ton of normal modern-day Japanese words seemingly lack etymology beyond being Sumo terms.[[/note]] (including keeping up an attitude as TheStoic in public, even though wrestlers, when interviewed, very often prove to be {{Gentle Giant}}s and [[FriendToAllChildren Friends To All Children]]).

It's SeriousBusiness in Japan, where it could be described as the national pastime, and it is often interspersed with traditional UsefulNotes/{{Shinto}} rituals. Its rules are rather simple: you win by forcing your opponent out of the circular 4.55 diameter clay ring lined with tighty wrapped straw ropes or forcing him to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet. For this reason, matches usually only last a few seconds invested in big explosions of strength, leverage, agility and clever technique, making them short, dramatic and frequently spectacular, just what casual fans need to entertain themselves and keep watching. Also, although in the West it is often called a martial art and piled together with UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} and UsefulNotes/{{Karate}}, sumo wrestling could be much better described as a combat sport with religious undertones. While there are amateur associations in schools and colleges (as well as open circuits abroad), official sumo is a strictly professional competition which one dedicates his life to with several strict rules of conduct and a whole freemason-like dictionary of terms that started in Sumo[[note]]The Japanese term for the cowgirl position is known as Hyakuhei, the "Hundred Forms" that involve all Sumo training and finishing moves at the time the original term was coined. Basically, a ton of normal Japanese words seemingly lack etymology beyond being Sumo terms.[[/note]] (including keeping up an attitude as TheStoic in public, even though wrestlers, when interviewed, very often prove to be {{Gentle Giant}}s and [[FriendToAllChildren Friends To All Children]]).

It's SeriousBusiness in Japan, where it could be described as the national pastime, and it is often interspersed with traditional UsefulNotes/{{Shinto}} rituals. Its rules are rather simple: you win by forcing your opponent out of the circular ring or forcing him to touch the ground with any part of his body except the soles of his feet. For this reason, matches usually only last a few seconds invested in big explosions of strength, leverage, agility and clever technique, making them short, dramatic and frequently spectacular, just what casual fans need to entertain themselves and keep watching. Also, although in the West it is often called a martial art and piled together with UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} and UsefulNotes/{{Karate}}, sumo wrestling could be much better described as a combat sport with religious undertones. While there are amateur associations in schools and colleges (as well as open circuits abroad), official sumo is a strictly professional competition which one dedicates his life to with several strict rules of conduct and a whole freemason-like dictionary of terms that started in Sumo[[note]]The Japanese term for the cowgirl position is known as Hyakuhei, the "Hundred Forms" that involve all Sumo training and finishing moves at the time the original term was coined. Basically, a ton of normal Japanese words seemingly lack etymology beyond being Sumo terms.[[/note]] (including keeping up an attitude as TheStoic in public, even though wrestlers, when interviewed, very often prove to be {{Gentle Giant}}s and [[FriendToAllChildren Friends To All Children]]).

** Tohru is a StoutStrength fighter who claims he turned to crime because he was "too small for Sumo", although his stated weight of 480 pounds is actually typical for the sport. He actually does participate in a sumo match in the Season 3 opener; the opposing sumo and his fellows later join Tohru in fighting the allies of the episode's main villain.

* ''VideoGame/GlitchBustersStuckOnYou: Lan King is one of the bosses the player will face, and he is a sumo wrestler in the arena, compared to the player, they’re like ants.

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/InterestingTimes'', being set in the Disc's ImperialChina / {{Wutai}}, features Tsimo wrestlers, ginormous, ogre-like humans with ravenous appetites and maybe a few neurons each. Rincewind uses them in a GiveChaseWithAngryNatives moment by claiming one of their handlers has a sandwich, causing a stampede that destroys a small garden and a pagoda.
* Creator/DaveBarry, in his book ''Dave Barry Does Japan'' writes about watching a sumo match. Afterward, one of the wrestlers drinks a [[AndADietCoke a Diet Coke]] and belches hard enough to send a "surfable wave" of fat across his belly.
* "Man-Mountain Gentian" by Creator/HowardWaldrop revolves around the sport of ''zen-sumo'' wrestling, where psychic attacks and mind games have taken the place of physical exertion. Many of the traditional trappings of the sport remain, and ''zen-sumotori'' are still huge men dressed in ''mawashi''.
* ''Literature/JudgeDee'': While most of the martial arts is "Chinese boxing" (kung-fu), one book features Miss Violet Liang, a six-foot-tall Mongolian wrestler who singlehandedly curbstomps three attempted kidnappers who once performed for the Court.
[[/folder]]