Meet the outsiders who changed Sumo forever and brought Japan’s national sport to the world
Behind these 600-pound men with incredible appetites are gruelling periods of extreme emotional hazing, intense physical training and deep loneliness. But at the peak of Sumo there is also glory.
The Giants follows the paths of Konishiki, Musashimaru, Takamiyama and Akebono – sumo legends who rose from humble beginnings in Hawaii to become the first foreigners to reach the highest ranks of the sport. Along the way, these warriors brought Japan’s national sport to the attention of the world – from the Louvre to the Tonight Show. They helped fans everywhere discover that sumo was bigger than its wrestlers; that it was the centre of a thriving culture.
About The Giants
The Giants is a celebration of the incredible journey of four legends who left their island with some clothes, a family album and next to no money. They landed in a country where they knew nothing of the language, culture or of the sport that would change their lives forever. With extreme determination and pure grit, they fought through this darkness and rose quickly in stature. Defying not only the odds of defeat, but also cultural barriers to become celebrated heroes. As long-standing traditions were disrupted, the new stars of Sumo faced opposition. The path was not easy. It was emotional, intense and sometimes lonely. But in the end it was historic.
Starring: Konishiki (one of the heaviest sumo wrestlers of all time. He dedicated his life to becoming the greatest wrestler in history.; Musashimaru (He carried his legacy into the modern era of sumo and entertainment. With dozens of titles and only one loss in his career, has become one of the biggest stars in Japanese culture and operates one of the most respected Sumo stables in Japan)
Directed by: J. LaLonde (Emmy-nominated creator. Previous credits include: Dunk League, Finding Football, Hitting the Wall, Olympic Outposts, Next Trickshot Superstar & Benedict Men).
Produced by: Anouk Mertens (Executive Producer & Managing Director, NEO Studios. Previously Executive Producer of football documentary Take us Home: Leeds United))
Production Companies: Rakuten TV original documentary series. Produced in collaboration with NEO Studios.
The Giants are coming
22nd July
Exclusively and for on Rakuten TV