English Dub Review: Hinomaru Sumo “Dachi High’s Fifth Member”

We’re on a boat!

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Kirihito has signed on as the team’s trainer/coach, and the sumo expert thinks the team needs a lot more work before they’re ready to compete at the national level. The episode begins with us seeing a glimpse into Hinomaru’s past, where he was challenged by a sumo master to train himself for three years to follow the path of the yokozuna. Back in the present, Kirihito tries to convince the team that they aren’t nearly as strong as they think they are. He even goes so far as to say that with his guidance, Kei could beat any of the other members on the team.

And that’s exactly what happens. Kirihito guides Kei through each fight, instructing the hapless wrestler to strike at each opponent’s weak points. Through their fights, he teaches the newbies the individual points they need to work on. When the guys ask if Kirihito can wrestle on their team instead of Kei, he decides to demonstrate what he can do against Hinomaru. Using a unique “Spider Style”, Kirihito wrestles Hinomaru into submission with a powerful triple attack.

But this, too, was a lesson, wherein Kirihito taught Hinomaru about the triple move he must master to use as his “Ace in the hole.” Kirihito rushes off to the locker room after the match. It turns out that Kirihito can’t compete because he has weak lungs, and can only fight for about twenty seconds. When he returns from the locker room, he expresses the deep respect he has for Hinomaru from their past, and how he wants nothing more than to bring this team to the championship. He then explains to every one of the people they must beat and the tournaments they have to win to become professional sumo wrestlers.

Our Take:

Now, this is an episode that really goes above and beyond. My biggest problems with Hinomaru Sumo have been associated with how small the series felt and how the setting was somewhat underdeveloped. However, this episode goes through extensive lengths to remedy that issue and set up the story to go to all the soaring heights a shounen can reach.

Kirihito’s character is certainly nothing new, the “brilliant manager” archetype is a classic sports anime trope, but this episode does an excellent job at bringing something more that kind of character. Kirihito is as brilliant as they come, but the story adds a whole lot more pathos to why he does what he does. He’s not just a manager by choice, but also by his shallow lungs, which cripple his chances at becoming a professional yokozuna. That extra bit of detail to his character really makes him for me, since his cold genius doesn’t come from anywhere, but out of a depth of emotion that forces him to go to impossible lengths to reach his dream.

Things have never felt more epic in Hinomaru Sumo. Before this point, Hinomaru’s goals seemed muchvaguere; just aspirations, without a real sense of direction or substance. But by listing to us who the rivals the team needs to defeat are. This also demonstrates how stacked against our heroes the odds are. This misfit sumo team has little to no chance of victory, and it would be a complete miracle for them to become professionals. A sense of intensity has been injected into the heart of the story, one that lays the foundation of the story to come.

Its a real joy to see an anime with an unfamiliar concept successfully “sell” its particular brand of shounen action. While it definitely doesn’t grab me on the surface, there is an exciting level of complexity to the depth of the fighting in Hinomaru Sumo. There’s a feeling of heightened reality to the intense, well-animated fight scenes, one that draws me in to see what’s in store in the future.

Things are really kicking up on Hinomaru Sumo. There’s a whole lot to love in this episode and a whole lot more to look forward to. Whether its the great characterization, the strong, deliberate pacing, or the exciting action-filled world of sumo wrestling, you’re bound to find something to love here. I’m excited to see what’s in store for this fledgling shounen.