is a Japanese sports drama streaming television series created by  that premiered on Netflix on 4 May 2023. The series consists of eight episodes, all first released in May 2023.

The show stars  in the role of Kiyoshi Oze, an outspoken and violent young man who joins the world of professional sumo under the shikona name of Enno for the sake of money. The name of the series was chosen to represent the dohyō, a place where wrestlers bet on their future and which is forbidden to outsiders.

Synopsis
The series portrays a rookie wrestler, Enno, a debt-ridden delinquent who lives in violence and with a broken family, as he tries to make his way in the world of professional sumo. As he is scouted by the master of Enshō stable for his talent and physique, and climbs the ranks only for the money with no interest for sumo, he becomes the target of criticism from the sumo executives for his over-the-top personality and his lack of respect for the traditions of the sport.

Cast and characters

Main
 Wataru Ichinose as Kiyoshi Oze, an outspoken and violent young man who joins the world of professional sumo under the shikona, or ring name, Enno for the sake of money and fame.
 Pierre Taki as Enshō-oyakata, a toshiyori who used to be an ōzeki under the name Enfu. He recruited Kiyoshi within his stable after he saw his talent during a judo competition.
 Shioli Kutsuna as Asuka Kunishima, a progressive journalist who grew up abroad and finds herself transferred from the political department to the highly confidential sumo correspondents' department.
 Shōta Sometani as Shimizu, a fan of sumo who joined the same stable as Kiyoshi. Although he aspires to be a great wrestler, he fails to build weight by eating and shows his limitations as a wrestler during his matches.
 Hiroki Sumi as Shizuuchi, a low-ranking wrestler from the Kōku stable with a bright future but also perceived as a monster because of his strength and the scar on his face.
 Koyuki as Hana, the wife of Enshō and ōkami-san at Enshō stable.
 So Kaku as Ryūki, a sekiwake of the prestigious Ryūkoku stable. Seen as the "Kakukai Prince", he promotes an ethic in sumo that Kiyoshi will upset.
 Suzuki Matsuo as Inushima-oyakata, a former ōzeki under the name Kenga. He's an ambitious toshiyori who seeks to take over the chairmanship of the Sumo Association at the next elections and a rival of Enshō within the Sumo Association. His relation with him is the illustration of the Japanese expression Ken'en no naka (犬猿の仲), meaning "being like dog (ken) and monkey (en)".

Supporting
 Tomorowo Taguchi as Tokitsu, the head of Kunishima's Sumo department at the Kantō Shimbun.
 Kitaro as Kōji, the father of Kiyoshi. A sushi restaurant earnest owner who, saddled with debt, lost his business.
 Kimiko Yo as Sanae, Kiyoshi's depressed and alcoholic mother who fled the family home after Kōji's restaurant went bankrupt.
 Onigiri as Umayama-oyakata, a toshiyori who helps Inushima on his quest to power.
 Akira Nakao as Kumada-oyakata, a toshiyori and current chairman of the Sumo Association.
 Kensho Sawada as Enya, a member of Enshō stable and former komusubi who seeks to regain his lost rank.
 Goro Kishitani as Ryūkoku-oyakata, a former yokozuna and an expecting and straight-laced master. Father of Ryūki.
 Nobuko Sendo as Yayoi, mother of Ryūki and ōkami-san at Ryūkoku stable.
 Rio Teramoto as Nanami, a lounge girl in a hostess club who takes advantage of Kiyoshi.
 Katsuya Maiguma as Yasui, a sensationalist journalist looking for a scandal in sumo.
 Daichi Kaneko as Murata, the CEO of an IT company who will become Kiyoshi's patron.
 Yoshie Kazuya as Enga, a senior member of Enshō stable who constantly represses Kiyoshi.

Episodes

Production

Development
The series is the first collaboration between Eguchi Kan and Kanazawa Tomoki since Riding Uphill in 2018. Director Kan Eguchi described the series was first and foremost conceived to put forward the story of young wrestlers in clash of desire, ego, and stubbornness that can be seen in professional sumo "by peeling off [the] thin skin [of the sport]" and the "soul-shaking" master-student relationship wrestlers develop throughout their career. In order to prepare for the roles, the entire cast playing wrestlers underwent more than a year of thorough physical transformation under the guidance of Hollywood experts and Olympic athlete trainers and nutritionists, and engaged in more than six months of sumo training under the supervision of former jūryō wrestler Ishinriki Kōji. The series is also the first filming experience for several former professional wrestlers, among them Kensho Sawada (formerly known under his shikona of Chiyonoshin), a former makushita wrestler from Kokonoe stable and older brother of Chiyonokuni. Although he owns a restaurant, he still auditioned for the role thinking it would be good publicity for his business.

Filming
Production of the film began with the renting of Toho studio facilities in Setagaya, Tokyo. This was the first time Netflix established a production base in Japan as part of a strategy to develop original live-action works.

Reception
The series is regularly compared to the film Sumo Do, Sumo Don't and the Disney+ series that rebooted it since these works are among the most popular adaptations of sumo on television and cinema. The reboot series itself was aired 7 months before Sanctuary. Media columnist James Hardfield described the series as an "anticlimactic sumo bout", ending abruptly after colossal efforts. He regrets that the series struggles to take off and loses itself throughout its first half in Kiyoshi's "boorish antics". The second half of the season is also criticised for its acceleration, leaving many subplots abandoned. Nevertheless, the series is also known for its very satisfying training and tournament scenes and the detail with which the rituals are portrayed. Sports journalist and sumo columnist John Gunning highlighted the series lack of correlation with the reality of  professional sumo mentioning scenes where characters bite, punch, give the middle finger in interviews and disrespect superiors. However he also praised the series’ entertainment value and "Quentin Tarantino-esque feel".

Notes
1.Kakukai is another name of professional sumo.

References

External links

 
 
 

2023 Japanese television series debuts
Japanese-language Netflix original programming
Television shows set in Japan
Japanese sports television series
Sumo mass media