With joint training sessions at the Ryogoku Kokugikan having concluded and the latest banzuke rankings having been released, preparations for the upcoming May grand sumo tournament have kicked into high gear.

Just over 10 days out from opening day, the summer meet is shaping up to be another wild and unpredictable ride.

Yokozuna Terunofuji’s post-Hakuho dominance has been stifled by injury and — with the rest of the top division lacking transcendent talent — predicting who’ll emerge victorious at the end of the two weeks remains a difficult task.