Akua Shōma

Akua Shōma (天空海 翔馬, born November 6, 1990 as Yuki Takahata (高畠 祐貴, Takahata Yuki)) is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Ibaraki Prefecture. He made his debut in November 2010 and reached the top makuuchi division in November 2020, just after turning 30 years of age.[1] He wrestles for Tatsunami stable. His highest rank is maegashira 10. His shikona is a reference to the Aqua World aquarium in his home town.

In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Akua.
Akua Shōma
天空海 翔馬
Akua in December 2018
Personal information
BornYuki Takahata
(1990-11-06) November 6, 1990
Ōarai, Ibaraki
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight164 kg (362 lb)
Career
StableTatsunami
Current ranksee below
DebutNovember 2010
Highest rankMaegashira 10 (Jan 2022)
* Up to date as of 28 August 2023.

Career

Akua comes from a family of car dealers, and he took exams at a vocational school to become a certified auto mechanic.[2] Joining Tatsunami stable in November 2010, just a few months later his hometown of Ōarai, Ibaraki was badly hit by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[2] He considered quitting sumo and returning home to help out, but was persuaded by his father (who had won a national wrestling competition at junior high school) to continue.[2] Originally known as Toyononami, he changed his shikona to Akua in March 2014, after the Aqua World aquarium in his hometown.[3]

Akua made his makuuchi debut in November 2020, shortly after turning 30 years of age.[4] He secured a winning record in his top division debut by winning his eighth bout on the fourteenth day, defeating Kotoekō.[5]

Original tegata (signature and handprint) of Akua

In December 2020, he was one of several members of his stable to test positive for COVID-19.[6] He took part in the following January 2021 tournament but could only score 5–10 and was demoted back to jūryō. He returned to makuuchi in May 2021 but again only scored 5–10 and was demoted. In November 2021 Akua was promoted to the top division for the third time, and on this occasion managed a winning record, securing his eighth victory on Day 13.[7] In January 2022 he was promoted to his highest rank to date of maegashira 10, but scored only four wins against eleven losses. In March he scored 4–11 again and faces demotion to jūryō.

He has twice been involved in car accidents while a passenger travelling to the Ryōgoku Kokugikan, being rear-ended on the fifth day of the November 2020 tournament and suffering whiplash, and being hit by an uninsured car while leaving a toll booth on the expressway during the March 2021 tournament, resulting in a sprain of his cervical spine.[8]

Fighting style

Akua is an oshi-sumo specialist, who prefers pushing and thrusting techniques. He also has experience in judo, and is fond of kakenage, or "hooking inner thigh throw." In the September 2021 tournament, four of his seven wins through Day 8 were by this technique.[9] He admitted after the tournament that he may have overused the move and that his opponents were beginning to read him.[10]

Career record
Akua Shōma[11]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
2010 x x x x x (Maezumo)
2011 East Jonokuchi #25
6–1
 
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 East Jonidan #52
4–3
 		 West Jonidan #18
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #77
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #93
4–3
 
2012 East Sandanme #76
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #19
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #39
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #55
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #38
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #53
6–1
 
2013 East Sandanme #3
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #12
6–1
 		 East Makushita #34
2–5
 		 West Makushita #51
5–2
 		 West Makushita #34
3–4
 		 West Makushita #41
4–3
 
2014 West Makushita #34
4–3
 		 West Makushita #28
2–5
 		 East Makushita #48
6–1
 		 West Makushita #20
4–3
 		 West Makushita #17
5–2
 		 East Makushita #12
4–3
 
2015 East Makushita #8
3–4
 		 West Makushita #13
5–2
 		 East Makushita #8
4–3
 		 East Makushita #6
2–5
 		 East Makushita #17
5–2
 		 East Makushita #8
4–3
 
2016 East Makushita #7
4–3
 		 East Makushita #5
4–3
 		 East Makushita #2
1–6
 		 West Makushita #18
5–2
 		 West Makushita #10
3–4
 		 West Makushita #16
5–2
 
2017 West Makushita #8
4–3
 		 West Makushita #6
2–5
 		 West Makushita #15
4–3
 		 West Makushita #12
4–3
 		 West Makushita #10
5–2
 		 West Makushita #4
5–2
 
2018 East Jūryō #14
4–11
 		 West Makushita #5
4–3
 		 West Makushita #3
3–4
 		 West Makushita #5
4–3
 		 West Jūryō #14
3–9–3
 		 East Makushita #8
4–3
 
2019 West Makushita #4
2–5
 		 East Makushita #11
3–4
 		 West Makushita #14
5–2
 		 East Makushita #7
6–1
 		 East Makushita #2
6–1
 		 East Jūryō #12
8–7
 
2020 West Jūryō #9
9–6
 		 West Jūryō #6
4–11
 		 West Jūryō #13
Tournament Cancelled
0–0–0		 West Jūryō #13
10–5–PP
 		 West Jūryō #6
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #16
9–6
 
2021 East Maegashira #13
5–10
 		 West Jūryō #1
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #17
5–10
 		 West Jūryō #2
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #1
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #16
9–6
 
2022 West Maegashira #10
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #15
4–11
 		 East Jūryō #4
5–10
 		 East Jūryō #7
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #6
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #5
10–5
 
2023 East Jūryō #1
3–12
 		 East Jūryō #7
8–7
 		 West Jūryō #5
5–10
 		 West Jūryō #8
7–8
 		 West Jūryō #9
6–9
 		 x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira

See also

References
  1. "Sumo: New ozeki Shodai highlights intriguing November rankings". Kyodo News. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  2. "豊乃浪 父の言葉に押され／被災地へ届け (toyononami pressed by my father's words, delivering to disaster-strickened area)". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 22 May 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  3. "Aqua Grand Sumo". You Tube - NHK World Japan. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  4. "New Ozeki Shodai among headliners for Kyushu basho". Japan Times. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  5. "Sumo: Takakeisho, Terunofuji set up final-day showdown". The Mainichi. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  6. "立浪部屋で計１０人が新型コロナに感染 角界では３例目の集団感染". Hochi (in Japanese). 11 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  7. "Sumo: Terunofuji stays perfect, Abi stuns Takakeisho on Day 13". Kyodo News. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  8. "天空海 春場所中また追突事故遭っても勝ち越し 自分の"超人"ぶりに驚き". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 5 May 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  9. "天空海また「掛け投げ」で勝った！ＮＨＫ実況で「今日も」今場所７勝中４勝". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 19 September 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  10. "天空海が葛藤語る「できちゃうから狙っちゃう」先場所多用した「掛け投げ」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 27 October 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  11. "Akua Shoma Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  • Akua Shōma's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage
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