Sanctuary

The way the character and story elements were handled are borrowed heavily from Japanese manga and anime tropes, in that many of the premises and representations are larger than life and exaggerated. That can be good or bad depending on the viewer, and their familiarity with those storytelling devices and characterizations. In my opinion, it worked really well with Sanctuary in most instances to dramatize the story and embellish upon plot and character elements. This unique version of the anti-hero to hero origin story and progression hasn't been told in context of sumo before, and you'll be rooting for specific characters and empathizing with them as the season unfolds.

You simply cannot miss this gem of a show!

It's raw, gritty and a personal story that'll keep you glued to your screen. While it would've been amazing to see the 'foreigner's perspective', I'm hopeful that Netflix will greenlight seasons 2 and 3, so we can delve into more personal stories from both the US and Mongolia's perspective at the Yokozuna level. Yes even as foreigners they get the girls!

It's not just an entertaining watch, but hope future series will also sheds light on the business side of Sumo. How normal fans watch and how social media, along with the newer generation of fans, may threaten the future of this sport.

No spoilers here, but trust me, it's a fantastic study of the human condition, the hero's journey, and character arc that we usually find in great films and series, with a touch of comedy thrown in for good measure. In short, I highly recommend it!

I couldn't believe how fast this show crabbed my attention. It kept me guessing and questioning my thoughts on the different characters. I binge watched it with english dub. Now I'll watch it in its original language to get a much better feel for the show. .. .. I've been pulled in so fast, I can't wait to see what I missed first time around! I don't know why I enjoy foreign shows so much, especially japanese. I always watch first in englush to make sure I understand dully what I am watching- then in its original lingo so I get a better feel for what they are really saying from an emotional point.

GREAT SHOW! I hope I don't have to wait to long for the next season, omg, talk about leaving off in a cliff hanger!!

So, I shall start by saying I am biased towards traditional Japanese ideology and stylistic film/TV making. I grew up watching Samurai and martial arts movies (in the early 90's) and have since have been fascinated by the bredth and depth of Asian culture and philosophy. That said, I knew practically nothing about Sumo other than its existence and basic premise. It interested me still, but with little to no access I paid no attention.

Then this series landed yesterday and I finished it a day later. I am practically slapping my own chest like the ugly gorrilla at the cliffhanger in pure anticipation for the next series to land. I write this review because I feel the need to share that I have not been this entertained on so many levels in such a long time. I even watched the intro on every episode. Perhaps I am just starved from watching too much of the garbage that has been produced or I harbour a strange fascination for Sumo that I never got the chance (until now) to experience.

This series is a high quality production but not for the feint of heart. There are several story arches at work at the same time throughout, but to me they really added a level of depth to the characters and provided nothing but insight and empathy towards them. The last episode finally drew me to tears within the first 10 minutes to share that ceremony with the cast. I rated every performance and felt well fed by the writing at all times, despite parts being very hard to relate to personally (I am White, Male, British) there were characters within that felt like my neighbours. People I have known my whole life. Troubled and damaged young men, strong.oppressed women, sporting industries struggling with tradition and modernisation and this series really braught that all to life and put me in the ring with it.

TLDR: If you don't like any of the Rocky films, reading subtitles or seeing body fat then skip this. If you want easy to follow narratives about the same old basic drama, skip this. If you like some traditional Japanese style with some modern and whacky moments, than go all in on this series. I'm off to ytube some real sumo showdowns now just to see if it slaps me as hard as this series did.

For those who can get past the violent, bloody, grimy scenes it's possible to forgive the sporting drama cliche of poorer/ outsider vs the establishment. It's possible to forgive the fact that many of the characters come across as unlikeable. It's also possible to forget you'll spend a good part of the show watching large, dirty, sweaty, sometimes bloody men slapping and throwing each other around.

The reason for this is that the show never forgets the basis that it is character driven. The characters have motivations (even simple ones for secondary characters) and the plot is driven around how they react to these. Many go on some form a journey and are changed by events.

This is ultimately what makes the show a compelling watch for me, though I suspect many people will not get past some of that.